Gas analysis system

Abstract

A gas analysis system includes a scanning platform configured to direct a plurality of light beams over a target area. The scanning platform includes emitter spectroscopy assembly configured to emit the plurality of light beams toward respective target surfaces of the target area, receive a plurality of reflected light beams from the respective target surfaces, and determine a spectral intensity of each reflected light beam of the plurality of reflected light beams. Moreover, the scanning platform includes a main controller receive the feedback from the spectroscopy assembly indicative of the spectral intensity of each reflected light beam of the plurality of reflected light beams and determine a volumetric characterization of a gas plume based at least in part on the spectral intensity of a reflected light beam of the plurality of reflected light beams.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A gas analysis system, comprising:
 a scanning platform configured to direct a plurality of light beams over a target area, wherein the scanning platform comprises:
 a spectroscopy assembly comprising an emitter configured to emit the plurality of light beams toward respective target surfaces of the target area, wherein the spectroscopy assembly is configured to receive a plurality of reflected light beams from the respective target surfaces and determine a spectral intensity of each reflected light beam of the plurality of reflected light beams; and 
 a main controller configured to receive feedback from the spectroscopy assembly indicative of the spectral intensity of each reflected light beam of the plurality of reflected light beams, to determine a volumetric characterization of a gas plume based at least in part on the spectral intensity of a reflected light beam of the plurality of reflected light beams, and to determine that the volumetric characterization of the gas plume comprises a non-uniform cross-section based at least in part on a greater change in spectral intensity of a first light beam that a change of spectral intensity of a second light beam disposed adjacent to the first light beam. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The gas analysis system of  claim 1 , wherein the main controller is configured to determine a concentration of gas in the gas plume based at least in part on the volumetric characterization of the gas plume and the spectral intensity of the reflected light beam of the plurality of reflected light beams. 
     
     
       3. The gas analysis system of  claim 1 , wherein each light beam of the plurality of light beams is reflected from the respective target surface of the target area to generate a corresponding reflected light beam of the plurality of reflected light beams. 
     
     
       4. The gas analysis system of  claim 3 , wherein the spectroscopy assembly comprises a collection optic configured to receive the plurality of reflected light beams, and wherein a detector is configured to detect the spectral intensity of each reflected light beam of the plurality of reflected light beams. 
     
     
       5. The gas analysis system of  claim 3 , wherein the spectroscopy assembly comprises a plurality of emitters, and wherein each emitter of the plurality of emitters comprises an angular offset from one another, such that each light beam of the plurality of light beams is angularly offset from one another. 
     
     
       6. The gas analysis system of  claim 5 , wherein the angular offset is between 1 and 5 degrees. 
     
     
       7. The gas analysis system of  claim 5 , wherein each emitter of the plurality of emitters is oriented to direct the plurality of light beams in a line array, and wherein a distance between adjacent light beams of the plurality of light beams is based at least in part on the angular offset between the emitters. 
     
     
       8. The gas analysis system of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of emitters is configured to emit the plurality of light beams in a multi-planar array. 
     
     
       9. A gas analysis system, comprising:
 an unmanned aerial vehicle configured to travel along a flight path, wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle comprises:
 a spectroscopy assembly configured to emit a plurality of light beams toward respective target surfaces, receive a plurality of reflected light beams, and output a spectral intensity of each reflected light beam of the plurality of light reflected beams; 
 a thermal imager configured to capture one or more thermal images along the flight path; 
 a supplemental sensor configured to detect the wind condition at a location of the unmanned aerial vehicle; and 
 a main controller configured to determine a location of a gas plume based at least in part on the thermal image, to determine a volumetric characterization of the gas plume based at least in part on the spectral intensity of a reflected light beam of the plurality of reflected light beams and the wind condition, to determine a concentration of a gas in the gas plume based at least in part on the volumetric characterization of the gas plume and the spectral intensity of the reflected light beam of the plurality of reflected light beams, and to determine a gas flow rate of the gas creating the gas plume based at least in part on changes in the volumetric characterization of the gas plume over time, the wind condition, the concentration of gas in the gas plume over a period of time, or any combination thereof. 
 
 
     
     
       10. The gas analysis system of  claim 9 , wherein the wind condition comprises a speed and/or a direction of wind with respect to the unmanned aerial vehicle. 
     
     
       11. The gas analysis system of  claim 9 , wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle comprises a velocity sensor configured to detect a velocity of the unmanned aerial vehicle. 
     
     
       12. The gas analysis system of  claim 9 , wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle comprises a position sensor configured to detect a position of the unmanned aerial vehicle with respect to a ground surface. 
     
     
       13. The gas analysis system of  claim 9 , wherein the unmanned aerial vehicle comprises a global positioning sensor configured to detect a current location of the unmanned aerial vehicle along the flight path. 
     
     
       14. A method comprising:
 emitting a plurality of light beams toward a plurality of target surfaces; 
 reflecting each light beam of the plurality of light beams from a respective target surface of the plurality of target surfaces to generate a plurality of reflected light beams; 
 receiving the plurality of reflected light beams; 
 detecting a spectral intensity of each reflected light beam of the plurality of reflected light beams; 
 determining a volumetric characterization of a gas plume based at least in part on of the spectral intensity of a reflected light beam of the plurality of reflected light beams; and 
 determining that the volumetric characterization of the gas plume comprises a non-uniform cross-section based at least in part on a greater change in spectral intensity of a first light beam than a change of spectral intensity of a second light beam disposed adjacent to the first light beam. 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14 , wherein each of the plurality of light beams is angularly angular offset from each other. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 14 , comprising determining a location of the gas plume based at least in part on one or more thermal images received from a thermal imager. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 14 , comprising determining a concentration of gas in the gas plume based at least in part on the volumetric characterization of the gas plume and the spectral intensity of the reflected light beam of the plurality of reflected light beams.